What Comes After
by neon rain
Summary: In which there is Daryan-the-Jerk, silly Trucy-ness, a mildly angsty Klavier and Apollo, lots of dorky flirting, bad innuendo and absolutely no Kristoph/Apollo. Yup.


Summary: In which there is Daryan-the-Jerk, silly Trucy-ness, a bit of angsty Klavier and Apollo, lots of dorky flirting, bad innuendo, and absolutely no Kristoph/Apollo. Heh. You'll see what I mean.

Warning/Notes: OMIGOD SPOILERS for just about the entire 4th game except for the end. Just in case you haven't played it yet; in which case I tell you now to stop reading fanfiction and GO PLAY IT. Cuz it's awesome! Unless you're one of those silly people who like spoilers; then, by all means, proceed. Heehee! I also feel I should warn you of shameless cheese. And terrible innuendos. And possible abuse of commas. And, finally, warnings for Daryan because, just like Gant, the man is a warning all on his own.

Also, I totally ganked a line from FAKE cuz it made me go wibble with cuteness. Kudos and virtual cake if you catch it. :3

-insert generic disclaimers here-

* * *

What Comes After

_.:Memories, like hearts, are best cherished when shared__:._

As the bailiff took Daryan away in handcuffs, Apollo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. There was a certain sense of pride and satisfaction in having uncovered the truth among all the lies and misconceptions, but now that it was over and the post-trial rush was wearing off, he was absolutely exhausted. He was more than happy to hear the guilty man's shouts fade as the courtroom door swung shut behind him. Stretching his legs, Apollo rubbed his knees when they popped and creaked. He had been standing for far too long and was looking forward to going back to the Anything Agency and relaxing for a while; maybe catch up on the latest Japanese game shows for a few laughs. However, before he could rest, he had one last stop he wanted to make.

Apollo quickly packed up his evidence and pried Trucy out of a discussion with the judge(he didn't even want to know why either of them were interested in the proper color of umbrella to use during a snowstorm in June) but, just as he was about to follow her out to the lobby, he glanced over at Prosecutor Gavin. He frowned; the blond rock star had not moved so much as an inch since the end of the trial. In fact, now that he thought about it, Apollo noticed that there had been a steady decline in the man's concentration ever since it had become clear that Daryan had played a less-than-innocent role in the murder of Mr. LeTouse. After a moment, the prosecutor seemed to notice the uncertain gaze in his direction; starting almost imperceptibly, the frown creasing his face as he stared at the paperwork on the bench in front of him disappeared and he looked over, catching Apollo's eyes with his own. He smiled his trademark heart-melting smile and, as usual, it made the young attorney's stomach do flips-flops and his lips automatically began to curve back in response; but even so, something didn't feel quite right. And sure enough, at that very moment, Apollo felt his bracelet react and tighten sharply on his wrist. Glancing down with a slight wince, he broke eye-contact, but not before his sharp eyes caught the sight of Klavier's hands fiddling nervously with his rings. But, he was unable to think about the man's strange behavior any more, as he was being dragged out the door by the impatient young magician latched onto his arm.

They spoke briefly with Lamiroir in the lobby before walking together over to the detention center. However, when they got there, Lamiroir was immediately called into a conference with Machi and the Borginian Embassy. A guard showed Apollo and Trucy to a small waiting room furnished with plush couches small tables with the latest gossip magazines spread across them and a soda vending machine in the corner. The cold drinks were good and the music playing over the P.A. system was soothing, but after more than an hour of waiting, even Trucy was having a hard time keeping herself occupied. She'd already tried teaching Apollo a few simple magic tricks with a coin and a handkerchief, but quickly gave up after witnessing his ineptitude and moved on to bedazzle a few small children waiting with their grandparents. By the time the guard came back, she'd attracted a small audience and he'd managed to read a good portion of his new book. The guard informed them apologetically that visiting hours would be over in another 30 minutes and led them to Machi's visiting room.

They spoke with the two Borginians until their time was up and Apollo was glad he had taken the time to come and visit. By the time they left, his conscience had been put at ease. Despite Lamiroir's earlier attempts to reassure him, he'd still been worried that the young pianist would be punished severely for his involvement in the cocoon smuggling. And, since Apollo had been the one to bring that to light in order to prove him innocent of murder, he'd been afraid that the boy would be angry or resentful toward him. But, his fears were eased by the smile and words of gratitude spoken in clumsy but sincere English. There was also good news about Machi's second trial. For having given information used in bringing Agent LeTouse's murderer to justice, the severity of his punishment was going to be greatly reduced and, as he was going to be tried in the local courts rather than going back to Borginia, that meant a sentence of a few years at the very most. As for the young man, himself, he was quite willing to serve whatever time he was sentenced; wanting to take responsibility for his part in all that had happened and ease his guilty conscience. Seeing Machi in higher spirit had helped lift Apollo's own, and a slight smile unconsciously graced his lips.

Lost in his thoughts, Apollo didn't realize he'd followed Trucy outside until he was nearly blinded by the bright, July sunshine. He squinted and shaded his eyes to protect them from the dazzling glare, pulling out his cell phone to check the time. _6:30 already. About time to get dinner,_ he thought, as his stomach reminded him with a sharp pang that he had been too nervous to eat breakfast that morning. A loud growl coming from his right echoed his thoughts and informed him that Trucy was probably just as ready to get something.

Sure enough, the very next thing out of her mouth was, "Pollyyyyyy! I'm hungry! Can I have some snacks?" She made her best pleading face, big eyes wide in a frighteningly irresistible resemblance to a begging puppy. But, Apollo knew better by now than to spoil her appetite on days when her father was cooking.

"Sorry, Trucy. Not this time. Mr. Wright said he was making extra-spicy chicken curry today…"

That was all he had to say for her to perk right back up again and start to dance in circles, singing an obviously made-up-on-the-spot song about curry. Apollo chuckled a little; he had given up a long time ago trying to figure out what went on in that girl's head but her happiness was contagious, so he didn't question the whys or hows. Though, to be honest, his boss's curry made Apollo pretty happy, too. Mostly because it meant that_ he _didn't have to cook for once… but also because it really was quite good. _Certainly better than his piano playing..._

The sound of the Detention Center's doors opening behind him broke through Apollo's thoughts and he turned, reflexively, to look, meeting the eyes of Prosecutor Klavier Gavin with a startled expression. He was suddenly reminded of the blond man's curious behavior from before and his face settled into a concerned frown.

Turning back to Trucy, he said, "Actually, tell your daddy I probably won't be home for dinner tonight. I need to talk to Mr. Gavin about something. I'll get something to eat on my own, so don't wait up for me."

"Ooh! Can I come with?" she asked eagerly. And predictably.

Apollo shook his head apologetically. "Sorry. Not this time." When she just stood there pouting at him, he sighed. "I promise I'll try to get you another autograph for your collection."

Placated, she smiled and waved and skipped off towards home. The young defense attorney watched her go, shaking his head in amusement at her enthusiasm. _Now, Prosecutor Gavin, what is…-_

"You wanted me, Herr Forehead?"

Apollo jumped at the sound of the smooth voice in his ear.

"Y-YES!" he yelped automatically, spinning to face the taller man. His face flamed red in embarrassment as, in the next second, he realized the double entendre in his words. He stumbled to correct himself. "I-I mean… No! Er, that is to say, I want you to… want to _talk_ to you!"

At this point, poor Apollo was positive his face matched his vest. He took a deep breath and tried again.

"Prosecutor Gavin, I wanted to talk to you about today."

Apollo's bracelet suddenly tightened uncomfortably and he caught the barest hint of a flinch from the man in front of him at the mention of the trial. But it was gone in the same instant he saw it and if his wrist hadn't still ached slightly, he would have thought it was just his imagination.

"I'm sorry, Forehead, but I have some errands to run and I need to get back to my office soon."

Even without the bracelet's prompting, Apollo saw right through the man's weak excuses; he frowned. _Does his smile seem just a bit_ _forced? And really, "I have to run errands"? That's probably the oldest (and lamest) excuse since, "I have to wash my hair"._

Apollo crossed his arms and gave him a stubborn look. "Mr. Gavin, I think it's pretty important. How about if I come back with you to your office and we talk there?"

Klavier sighed and the strained grin faded to just a wry curl of the edges of his lips.

"Fine", he said, visibly reluctant, but conceding anyway. "I think I know where this is going and, to be honest, I had hoped to avoid this conversation altogether… But, I know how you get with a case and you have that same look right now. If I don't let you practice your Chords of Steel on me, "Apollo blushed and grumbled a bit at the mild jibe, "you won't back off until you've said your piece."

The defense sighed in relief; that had been easier than he'd thought it would be. Suddenly, a gurgling growl split the temporary and slightly awkward silence, this time coming from the vicinity of Apollo's own stomach. He laughed a little and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment

"Thanks, but would you like to mind going out to eat with me, first? I know a nice little Italian place just past People Park. My treat…?" He faltered a bit, abruptly realizing what that sounded like. _It sounds like I'm asking _THE_ Prosecutor Gavin out on a date. Oh, god, what am I getting myself into._

The thousand-watt smile he was granted at this suggestion was 100% real this time and Apollo had to take a moment to restart his heart and remember to breathe. He just barely caught the positive response from his companion.

"Of course, Herr Forehead. I would be honored; but in return, would you like to come to my home instead? I'm sure it will be much more comfortable for talking than my office."

"A-ah! Fine! Th-that's fine!" He wanted to slap himself upside the head for reverting back to his old catchphrase and making himself look like a complete moron. _Way to go, Justice. Well, while I'm on the subject, I'm fine, too. And so is the weather. Oh, and Klavier, I should mention that those clothes make you look very, __**very **__fine._

But, the prosecutor only chuckled and motioned for Apollo to lead the way. A short walk later and they arrived at a little, brick, hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Oli's. Inside, it was softly lit with mock oil lamps on the walls and candles on the tables and there were dozens of shelves holding various antiques while pictures of previous Olis and their accomplishments hung on the walls. The current owner, Mr. Ravi Oli, was a stout, smiling man in a sauce-stained apron and with flour in his hair; he met them at the door and happily showed them to a plush booth along the wall, leaving them each with a glass of water and a menu to look over.

Apollo was glad of the dim lighting to hide his blush; he hadn't come here in a while and he'd forgotten just how… romantic the atmosphere was. He also tried his hardest to focus on the menu and not stare at the man across from him; Klavier was gorgeous in full sunlight, but in the dim, flickering candlelight, he was positively sensuous. The younger Gavin put down his own menu and looked around in interest. Making his own selection, Apollo followed suit and settled back into his seat, sipping from his glass and casting glances across the table.

"I know it's probably not what you're used to," he said. "It's not terribly fancy or expensive, but it's one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. And you can't beat their home-made pasta and sauces."

The rock-star sat back as well, relaxing and ceasing his curious scrutiny of the place. He smiled, "It's nice, Herr Forehead."

Despite the irritating nickname, Apollo couldn't help but smile back.

"Very romantic."

Apollo choked on his water, but was unable to get in a suitable response for the smirking prosecutor, because Mr. Oli came bustling up just then to take their orders.

After he left, the young attorney shot the man across from him a harmless glare and settled again, this time with his arms crossed in front of him on the table. The look turned speculative as he thought of something.

"Prosecutor Gavin-", he began.

"Klavier", interrupted Klavier

"Wha-huh?" Apollo asked, momentarily thrown off track.

"Please, call me Klavier, Herr Forehead", said the man in question with a smile.

"Oh! Ah, thank you… Klavier." The smile grew brighter. "I would ask you to call me Apollo, but you're going to keep calling me 'Forehead' anyway, aren't you?" the younger man said, a bit petulantly.

"Now, why would you think that… Apollo?"

His question was playfully innocent, but the smile on the younger Gavin's face would not have looked out of place on the Cheshire cat and Apollo had to fight the shivers that ran down his spine at the drawn-out, velvety tone the other man used. _Damn rock-star vocal-chords…_

He reorganized his thoughts and started again.

"Klavier, I was wondering what you were doing at the Detention Center, earlier."

The mood immediately lost its lightness and, suddenly, the blond man's face was a mask of seriousness. There was silence for a long minute until, just as Apollo was beginning to think he'd messed up big-time, the prosecutor spoke.

"I… was there to see Daryan." He paused. "He was an old friend and a good band-mate. Just after you left the courthouse, I went to the Detention Center to talk to him, and… to say goodbye."

Apollo felt bad for asking, now; there was obvious pain in Klavier's voice. Suddenly, something occurred to him.

"Hold it! You said you went not long after me? I didn't see you in the waiting room." He looked at his fellow lawyer questioningly.

"They let me in to see him right away", answered Klavier.

"But then, you must have been in there for…" He did a quick calculation in his head, "almost two hours!"

The blond man smiled bitterly.

"I had a lot to say to him and he didn't take it very well. We were very close." His face grew melancholy again and he turned away. "It's just… there's so many 'what if's' and 'why's' running through my head right now. How could he do something like that? What if it was partially my fault? What if I could have prevented this? Maybe if I'd just… been there for him more." He buried his face in his hands and sighed heavily. "How could I not _know_?"

They sat there for a few minutes while Apollo took in all that his companion had said. Finally, he spoke.

"I think… there are two types of criminals."

He spoke slowly as he stared at the table, brow furrowed in deliberation, trying to find the words for his thoughts. Klavier raised his head to stare.

"There are people who are essentially good. They volunteer at community functions, enjoy quality time with friends and family and generally look out for everything and everyone that's precious to them. They'd do anything to keep them safe.

"They are the self-defense cases; the cases of mothers beating burglars to death with baseball bats because they think their families are being threatened. They commit the crime in blind, hot-blood and when they realize what they've done, they break down in horror and despair. They don't plan out, step-by-step, how they're going to do it. It's completely spur of the moment and they spend the rest of their lives with the guilt weighing them down like lead.

"But then, there are people who are completely opposite. They enjoy the pain and suffering of others. They don't care what happens to other people as long as their personal interests are secure. They are the planners and the schemers and the ones who'll walk up to you with a smile and then happily plunge a knife in your back the moment you turn around.

"I think Daryan was that type. I know I didn't know him nearly as well or as long as you did, but maybe that's why I was able to see it more clearly. It was because you were so close to him that you couldn't see it; it was easier for him to hide something from someone he knew and could predict. But then I came, an outsider, and it wasn't too hard for me to see there was something unpleasant about him. In the short time I knew him, it felt like there was an ulterior motive to everything he did. To be honest, he made me nervous.

"People like that… I don't know what makes them that way. Maybe it was something that happened in their pasts or maybe they're just born without the ability to care for anyone but themselves. You can't blame yourself for not seeing it in them, because they spend their whole lives manipulating people until, when it all finally comes out, you realize that everything you think you know about them was a façade. You can't change people like that and you can't trust them!"

Apollo's voice broke with emotion on his last statement and Klavier really looked closely at him this time. There were tears gathered at the corners of his eyes and, even as the younger Gavin watched, he reached up to wipe his face in a rough, embarrassed gesture. He suddenly realized that, during the defense's speech, the younger man had never once looked across the table at him and, in fact, he seemed to still be trying his hardest not to look at Klavier. It puzzled the blond man for a moment until, with a painful twinge of his heart, he had a surprising insight.

_Kristoph…_

"Apollo, I'm sorry." It slipped out before he could even think about it.

Startled, Apollo finally lifted his gaze, meeting Klavier's eyes with his own. "Wh-what are you sorry for?"

"For what my… for what _he_ did to you."

The young defense actually smiled a bit at that. "Somehow things got turned around and now you're consoling me? Still, thank you. Though it's probably not what you're thinking. And… despite how I sound, the memory is slowly fading; it's not as painful to think about anymore. There really are many good things that came out of my relationship with your brother. I never would have gotten where I am now without his guidance. And I never would have met Mr. Wright or Trucy. And I never would have met you."

Apollo smiled gently but sincerely, captivating Klavier with the genuinely happy expression. A long moment later, he realized he was staring and coughed, averting his eyes and trying to hide the blush that stained his tanned skin. But hearing a quiet chuckle coming from the brunet, he realized it was already too late. They both sensed that the atmosphere had finally taken a turn back to a lighter mood and Klavier took the opportunity to ask a question that had been on his mind for a long time.

"Is Trucy really Mr. Wright's daughter? Their relationship just seems… I don't really know how to describe it… Odd?" he asked, uncertainty coloring his tone.

"Ah! You saw that, too?!" Apollo exclaimed. He told the other everything he'd learned from Valant Gramarye in the past few days and they proceeded to talk all through dinner about silly nothings, barely stopping to eat between an exchange of amusing stories about Trucy's latest adventures and old stories about the band. Not noticing the passage of time, they didn't leave the restaurant until much later, finding, when they stepped out the door, that the sun was starting to set and Klavier's watch read just past nine.

Standing outside the small restaurant, Apollo grinned broadly at his companion as Klavier thanked him for the meal.

"It's no problem; I had fun. We should do this again sometime." He laughed. "But without the drama."

"Silly, Forehead. You sound like this is the end of our little date." The prosecutor smirked when Apollo sputtered at the word, 'date'. "Wasn't the point of all this to get dinner before going back to my place where you were going to cheer me up? Well, I can say right now that I would be very sad, indeed, if you were to go home now and leave me without a friend to help me finish a bottle of excellent wine, which just so happens to be the perfect end to any good Italian meal. So, what do you say; will you come home with me and keep me company tonight?"

Apollo somehow fought down the blush threatening to turn his face into a tomato and returned Klavier's sly look with one of his own. "Hmm… it's only the first date and you're already trying to get me drunk and take me home? I don't know… your lecherous rock-star ways may be just a little too much for poor, innocent me."

Klavier played along, giving his best slimy leer while trying not to laugh, "Well, baby, that's too bad, because if you were words on a page, you'd be that they call _fine_ print. By the way, can you lend me a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes."

Apollo stared at him for a long moment, lips twitching in a conscious effort not to smile, but when Klavier waggled his eyebrows suggestively, it proved too much and he cracked up. He could barely speak for laughing and the blond man wasn't in much better shape. When they finally caught their breath and could look each other in the eye again without bursting out laughing, Apollo gave a more serious reply.

"A drink sounds good", he said. "I'll come with you, but only if you don't mind me spending the night. My apartment's a bit too far to walk to in the dark and I'd rather not bother Trucy and Mr. Wright by going back to the Agency so late at night."

"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way," replied Klavier, the suggestive grin back on his face. They joked and flirted obnoxiously all the way to the rocker's house. It was a big house but not excessively so. The prosecutor told him that he donated a lot of the money he earned from the band to police functions and charities and the small portion he did save for himself went mostly towards his guitar collection and motorcycles. Once inside, Klavier went to the kitchen to rummage around in his wine rack, while Apollo made himself comfortable on one end of a soft, tan leather couch in the living room, propping himself up with one of the plush, plum-colored pillows. Returning with a bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other, Klavier settled himself on the other end of the couch, pouring them each a generous amount of the deep red liquor. They sat quietly for a moment, savoring the rich taste of the sweet dessert wine and the warm feeling of pleasant company.

Eventually, Apollo made a noise like he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to break the comfortable silence that had settled upon them. Klavier raised an eyebrow at him over his glass, encouraging him to speak him mind.

"I was wondering…", the younger man started, fidgeting a bit with the edges of his shirtsleeves. "Are you-I mean, are you and Daryan… together? Like, dating?" He blushed.

Over the course of the night, Klavier had told many stories about the band, and quite a few of them involving Daryan. It had hurt, at first, to think about the wound that was fresh on his heart and mind, but as the words flowed from his lips, they gradually came easier until he found that he was talking and laughing with Apollo about the stories with little more than a twinge of regret and sadness that it all had had to end so badly. So, now, though Apollo's question surprised him, it didn't return him to the depression he'd been in earlier.

"Well… technically, I suppose we were" he replied. "But, to be honest, we haven't acted like a couple for months. We fought every time we saw each other for any lengthy amount of time and I'd been thinking about breaking it off with him since... well, for a while."

To Apollo's surprise, the blond man's cheeks turned a bit pink and he looked away towards the opposite wall. "Why haven't you, then?" he asked; surprising himself this time with his own interest in the reason.

"Ah, well, you know how it is…" Klavier stumbled, still avoiding Apollo's eyes. "It's one of those things where there's no such thing as a good time to do it, so I guess I just kept putting it off, hoping I'd forget about… the other reason I wanted to not be with him anymore." He sighed. "And then all this happened and I guess it was finally enough to give me the courage to end it. That's part of what I spoke to him about at the detention center earlier. Like I said before; he didn't take it well."

Klavier winced inwardly. _"'Didn't take it well' is putting it mildly. More like he flew into a rage when I told him this was the end. I think he called me every dirty name in the books. Well, it's not like it's anything I haven't heard before during our fights… but I still wonder how he found out about Apollo. Was I that obvious? _He shook his head. _I can deal with him insulting me and calling_ me _a dirty, cheating bastard, but when he starts calling someone I love a common street-corner slut… that's something I refuse to allow. _When he'd gone in to see the former detective, he'd still been a bit uncertain and nervous about the break-up but, hearing the foul insults coming from the man's mouth directed at Apollo, he'd snapped it out in terse, furious words, with hardly a shred of regret.

Since he'd first heard of Apollo, three months ago, after the trial involving the legendary former attorney, Phoenix Wright, and his own brother's conviction, the younger man had caught his interest. At first, he'd been angry with the man who'd put Kristoph in prison, but after one visit to the incarcerated man and hearing the cruel words straight from his own mouth, Klavier had been forced to severely change his opinion of both defense attorneys. He'd officially disowned Kristoph by the time he'd met Apollo face-to-face for the first time during the Pal Meraktis case, and had, since that first impression, developed a healthy respect for the man. _It takes a lot of courage to do the right thing if it means someone close to you will be punished because of your actions. And to be able to outwit Kristoph is, in itself, an impressive feat. _Klavier remembered back when he'd first started law school; he'd had mock-trials with his brother to help him prepare for the real thing. He also remembered that the days when he won were far fewer than those he lost.

Their first meeting in the park had left an immediate impression on him. The first thing that had struck him about the young defense was his open, expressive face staring at him in complete shock and confusion at the younger Gavin's resemblance to his older brother. The second thing that registered was that that face and the man it belonged to were quite good-looking in a in a cute, boyish sort of way. He could not honestly say it had been love at first sight; he knew for a fact that the shiver that had run up his spine under that intense stare, raking across his whole body, those wet, pink lips parted in surprise… had been nothing nearly as innocent as love. However, he was absolutely certain that that was where everything had started. As he got to know Apollo even better, he began thinking more seriously about ending his relationship with Daryan. If he let himself, he would admit that he knew that that relationship had never really had anything to do with love; it had been all about the sex and the comfort of having a partner to come home to. Nevertheless, he refused to be unfaithful to that partner, and the growing affection he had for the defense felt far too much like cheating for his own comfort.

However, it was that little spark of sad recognition in Apollo's eyes every time he saw the prosecutor that made him hesitate. He knew that Apollo was reminded of Kristoph every time he saw Klavier, and it made his heart ache. He did not want to be his brother's substitute or a rebound relationship or a pity-fuck; Klavier didn't know just when it had happened, but at that point, he'd realized that he'd fallen for Apollo and had fallen so hard and deep that he didn't think he'd ever make it out of this with his heart intact.

But, it seemed his curiosity was determined to make a masochist of him, because, after finishing only his second glass of wine, he set it down and asked a painful question.

"Apollo, how long were you and Kristoph… in a relationship? He never mentioned anything to me, so when you said something about it, I wondered."

Apollo almost choked on the mouthful of sweet liquor he had just taken. The suddenness of the rather awkward question had taken him off guard, but that was not the only thing. His bracelet had suddenly tightened almost painfully around his wrist and he had to set down his glass so that he could move it down his wrist to a less uncomfortable position. That done, he threw an anxious glance at the man sitting barely more than a foot away from him on the other end of the couch. Though he seemed to be making a desperate attempt to conceal it, Klavier was exhibiting such obvious tension that it was just as apparent in the lines of his shoulders and the crease of his eyebrows as it was in the bracelet clamping his wrist almost to the point of cutting off the blood flow. Certain that the blond wasn't going to say anything else until he got an answer, Apollo sighed and his expression turned wry.

"I thought so," he said with a little chuckle. "I told you, my "relationship" with him was probably not what you were thinking. Looks like I was right.

"I was never in a romantic relationship with Kristoph. I respected him greatly and, though I suppose you could say I had a bit of a professional crush on him, if that makes sense, I never really wanted anything more than that. I was content to be his apprentice and dreamed every now and then of becoming his partner in law some day, but nothing more than that."

And just like that, with those words, Apollo saw the tension completely drain from Klavier's body. In its place was a look that was almost like relief but there was a glimpse of something else, as well; something deeper. It was only a flicker, but that little hint was what made something in his chest contract and squeeze, making it harder to breathe; and suddenly, he had to know.

"What was the 'other reason' you wanted to leave Daryan?" he asked quietly, barely daring to breathe in the expectant silence that followed.

Klavier nearly groaned out loud at the look the younger man was giving him. It was just as intensely questioning as any look he received in court, but this time, the note of anxious hope was for him, exclusively, rather than some detail in a case. It instantly dissolved any hesitations at confessing the truth. He was already elated at hearing that there had never been anything between Apollo and his former mentor and now, it took all his will power to suppress the eager grin pulling at his lips and the not-so-little voice in his head telling him to just jump the younger man then and there.

"I fell in love..." Feeling playful, he paused until the hopeful expression on the young defense's face faltered a little, before continuing. "With you." And he leaned across the couch and placed a careful, lingering kiss on Apollo's cheek. Pulling back, he finally allowed his happiness to show as he watched the defense attorney's shocked face quickly turn a very bright shade of red.

"Ah…" was all Apollo could manage for a while.

After a moment to recover at least some of his wits, he moved over on the couch to kneel next to Klavier. He leaned in and returned the gesture with a slow caress of lips on lips.

"I guess this is where I say, 'I love you, too'", he said, when they finally parted. Settling into the niche of the prosecutor's arm, still blushing nearly as red as his court suit, he looked up at his new, happily smiling boyfriend, he asked curiously, "For how long?"

"Hmm…" responded Klavier, only pretending to have to think about it. "Probably since that first day in the park."

To his surprise, Apollo laughed a little.

"I _thought_ there was something strange about you." Klavier's indignant response of, "Hey!" only served to make him laugh more. "Do you remember your very first words to me?" he asked.

"Oh," the rock star blushed nearly as much as Apollo had a minute ago, and tried half-heartedly to defend himself. "I was distracted that day! I swear, I didn't mean to come on to you so heavily like that! I-I just had my mind busy with the case and trying to avoid that mob of fans and paparazzi! Normally I'm much more tactful!"

"'I'm used to being stared at by the ladies,'" quoted Apollo in a slightly exaggerated, but still impressively accurate imitation of Klavier's voice. "'But I've never felt like this with a man before.'

"Was it something like that?" he asked, with a teasing grin.

"I was hoping you would forget about that, Herr Forehead", said Klavier, wincing a little in embarrassment, but taking it all in good humor with a laugh.

Apollo shook his head. "I think you're the only person I've ever known who could say a line that cheesy and get away with it without even a strange look."

Klavier mock-bowed at the dubious compliment, or at least as best he could manage while sitting and having Apollo nearly in his lap.

"So, how about you?" he asked slyly.

"Huh?" The chuckling attorney was confused by the apparent non sequitur.

"How long have you been in love with me?"

Clearly hoping to catch the defense off his guard again, Klavier was surprised yet again when Apollo, instead, turned his head so that his nose was pressed up against the prosecutor's neck. In a low voice, still tinged with amusement, he spoke into the taller man's his pulse.

"I think I have you beat, there, _meine liebe_."

Klavier's eyes widened in shock at the German words, and a shiver ran through him. Hearing his own language come from the lips of his lover was an unbelievable turn on.

"Oh, really?" he asked, leaning down to leave a trail of kisses down Apollo's jaw to his neck. "And why is that?" he murmured.

"Because," he said breathily, tilting his head to encourage more such caresses, "part of my training was watching old court cases. You were the prosecutor in a lot of them.

"Your hands… always made me feel so guilty. It was so difficult for me to focus because every time I watched you play air guitar, I couldn't help but wonder if you were as good with your fingers at other things as you were at handling an instrument."

Apollo wondered just how much wine he'd drunk that he was able to say such things out loud without blushing. He had a suspicion that it wasn't just the alcohol making him so bold. He closed his eyes and sighed shakily, remembering long nights trying to teach his own fingers to dance like the beautiful man on the screen. It had felt wonderful, but afterwards, remembering that it was his mentor's brother he was fanaticizing about, he felt dirty and embarrassed like he'd been caught doing something taboo. But now that that same man was his and his alone, Apollo could hardly believe it; the heady feeling of it was like floating in the clouds. He grasped one of those hands he admired so much in his own, bringing it to his lips and kissing it before twining Klavier's fingers with his own and leaning back into the man's warmth, making encouraging noises as lips and the barest hint of teeth found his ear, nibbling gently.

Klavier remembered his brother's request for the recordings of many of the cases he'd prosecuted. It had seemed an odd request at the time, but now he was grateful for it, if those videos had really played a part in him now having a cute defense attorney making little sounds of pleasure in his lap.

"Really, Apollo… you knew me so well from dreams, but you didn't even know who I was when we met in the park that day", he scolded playfully, with a mock-hurt voice.

"It was the hair," countered Apollo, gasping quietly when Klavier bit him just a little harder. "Aah! In all the recordings I saw, you had short hair. And the video quality wasn't very good, so your face was always a bit blurry... and those sunglasses..." He lost his concentration.

"Is that your excuse? " He smirked. "Well, I am still offended. I think I'm going to have to punish you."

The hand that had been making its way slowly and smoothly down Apollo's sides suddenly stopped, flexed, and proceeded to tickle the defense into a squirming, laughing mess.

Sloppy kisses and a somewhat biased wrestling match that somehow managed to stay on the small couch finally wound down to a comfortable silence. Stretched out on the seat, Apollo lay wrapped in the arms of his lover _(God, I love the sound of that)_ limp with contentment. When he felt Klavier chuckle above him, he responded only with a noise of inquiry.

"Mein Gott, we're going to be one of _those_ couples aren't we? You know, the kind that makes you think you're drowning in sugar every time you see them so much as look at each other. Haha! I can see it now. In court, the judge is going to say, "Order! The defense will refrain from making eyes at the prosecution," and "the prosecution will refrain from making double entendres or he will be asked to leave and take a cold shower!"

Apollo grinned. "I fail to see the problem with either of those things."

"Oh, it's no problem at all for me, but I think your clients might be a little irritated if you lost their case because you were distracted by my gorgeous blue eyes."

Apollo snorted. "Right. And the Prosecutor's office wouldn't be mad at you if you lost because you were too busy trying to get me flustered?"

"Hmm, maybe, but if it's all for Justice, I think I can bear with my colleagues for a while." He couldn't help smiling at his own little pun.

Apollo sighed a little at the joke on his name, but snuggled more comfortably in Klavier when he felt the smile against his forehead. Some time later, they fell asleep like that; lips tingling with smiles and soft kisses.

* * * * *

Two weeks later, in court, the following scene was witnessed by the observation balcony.

"OBJECTION! There's no possible Ms. Dunnit could have heard that scream through two floors!"

"I believe some of the people in your apartment could testify otherwise, Herr Forehead. And, as such, Mr. Siesta could not have slept through the whole thing, as you are claiming he did."

"Kla-Prosecutor Gavin! Are you forgetting about the prescription sleep aid that was found in his bloodstream? With that, he could have easily slept through even one of your concerts!"

"Hm, that expression of triumph on your face makes this _harder_ for me, but I feel I must remind you of the facts as well. Just who did that sleep aid belong to? It was prescribed to Mr. Siesta, ja? Then, is it not possible that he took some after committing the murder in order to create just that alibi for himself?"

"Of course not. If he had, he would not have been able to call the police an hour later to report the murder! He would have been fast asleep! However, as Mr. Siesta's maid, Ms. Dunnit would have had access to his rooms, meaning his medicine cabinet would be accessible to her, as well."

"So, what are you saying? That Ms. Dunnit stole some of his medicine and drugged his coffee just so she could murder his fiancé at the foot of his bed? Forgive me if the logic of this isn't quite penetrating. Your explanation is far too rough to fit the situation. Fill in the holes and I might listen to it as a viable theory. "

"Don't try that with me, you know I can keep it up until you're satisfied… with my explanation."

"Oh, really? Care to try me?"

"Hah! I can take you any d-

"OBJECTION! HOLD IT! ORDER! The defense and the prosecution will take a fifteen minute recess until they can control their personal lives and their badly-concealed innuendo!"

Fifteen minutes later, a slightly disheveled prosecutor and defense attorney returned to their benches. Within ten minutes of that, Mr. Siesta was found not guilty and was arrested, with minimal innuendo. However, if asked where the pair went after the trial, the only answer anyone could give was that they seemed to have disappeared.

.:END:.

* * *

So, this was my little reference thingy for the fake court scenario there at the end:

Defendant: Mr. Siesta (rich bachelor)

Victim: Ms. Mortem (Mr. Siesta's fiancé)

Killer: Ms. Dunnit (Mr. Siesta's maid and another affair)

Mr. Siesta was seeing both women at the same time. The women found out and conspired together to kill him in his sleep after drugging him. But Ms. Mortem got scared at the last moment and tried to stop Ms. Dunnit. There was a struggle and she was killed. Ms. Dunnit, who was in shock at the murder, arranged it so that it looked like Mr. Siesta had done it. Ms. Dunnit was claiming that his motive was that she tried to kill him for his money and that she heard the scuffle from her room and came to see what was the matter but it was too late.

...

Yup. So, anyway, hope you enjoyed. :3


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